Agribusiness
Agribusiness Major
The Agribusiness major allows students to focus their understanding of economics on the agribusiness sector. Students interested in careers in agribusiness have several options. Beginning in their sophomore year, students take courses in management, marketing and finance, all concentrating on the unique aspects of food and bio-systems economics. Specialization in upper division courses permits students to further concentrate based on their particular interest:
- Management: This option provides students with a broad background, preparing them for general career alternatives in agribusiness.
- Finance: This option prepares students for careers in agribusiness finance, agricultural lending, financial institution management, accounting, insurance, and investment.
- Marketing: This option prepares students for careers in agricultural marketing, sales, or food product marketing.
In the Agribusiness program, students are exposed to a range of methods useful in agribusiness decision-making. Agribusiness graduates will master problem-solving skills to face challenges likely to be encountered in their professional careers.
Agribusiness students are required to participate in an internship during their studies. Employers continue to place high importance on work-related experience when they evaluate potential employees. Employers are assured that all NDSU Agribusiness graduates have gained this valuable work experience through the required internship.
Collaboration with the College of Business leads to the concurrent satisfaction of one of the minors offered by the College of Business. Students may select business courses for the minor that complement their agribusiness interests.
Agribusiness Minor
The Agribusiness minor is a two-track minor (Agribusiness and Corporate Agribusiness) that exposes students to applications of fundamental business concepts in an agricultural or food systems setting. A minimum of eight credits must be completed at NDSU.
The Agribusiness track is a 17 credit minor that primarily draws on courses in Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics and emphasizes Agribusiness applications throughout its curriculum. The Agribusiness track is open to all NDSU majors.
The Corporate Agribusiness track is a 21 credit minor that emphasizes principles and courses applicable to corporate business. The Corporate Agribusiness track is restricted to students whose major is in the College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources.
Major Requirements
Major: Agribusiness
Degree Type: B.S.
Required Degree Credits to Graduate: 128
General Education Requirements
| First Year Experience (F): | ||
| AGRI 189 | Skills for Academic Success (Students transferring in 24 or more credits do not need to take AGRI 189.) | 1 |
| Communication (C): | ||
| ENGL 110 | College Composition I | 3 |
| ENGL 120 | College Composition II | 3 |
| One course in Upper Level Writing. Select course from the following: | 3 | |
| Business and Professional Writing | ||
| Writing in the Technical Professions | ||
| Writing in the Sciences | ||
| Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences | ||
| Researching and Writing Grants and Proposal | ||
| COMM 110 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning (R): | ||
| STAT 330 | Introductory Statistics (C or better required) | 3 |
| Science & Technology (S): | ||
| CSCI 116 | Business Use of Computers | 4 |
| A one-credit lab must be taken as a co-requisite with a general education science/technology course unless the course includes an embedded lab experience equivalent to a one-credit course. Select from current general education list. | 6 | |
| Humanities & Fine Arts (A): Select from current general education list | 6 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (B): | ||
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| ECON 202 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| Wellness (W): Select from current general education list | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D): Select from current general education list | ||
| Global Perspectives (G): | ||
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| Total Credits | 40 | |
Major Requirements
| General Education Requirements | 40 | |
| Core Courses for Agribusiness: | ||
| AGEC 242 | Introduction to Agricultural Management | 4 |
| AGEC 244 | Agricultural Marketing | 3 |
| AGEC 246 | Introduction to Agricultural Finance | 4 |
| AGEC 339 | Quantitative Methods & Decision Making | 3 |
| ECON 341 | Intermediate Microeconomics | 3 |
| ECON 343 | Intermediate Macroeconomics | 3 |
| AGEC 344 | Agricultural Price Analysis | 3 |
| AGEC 346 | Applied Risk Analysis | 3 |
| AGEC 397 | Fe/Coop Ed/Internship | 1-3 |
| AGEC 445 | Agribusiness Industrial Strategy (capstone) | 3 |
| Accounting: | ||
| ACCT 200 | Elements of Accounting I | 3 |
| ACCT 201 | Elements of Accounting II | 3 |
| Science & Technology: | 9 | |
| Complete nine (9) credits from two (2) areas in the College of AFSNR other than Agribusiness & Applied Economics. (Includes: ASM, ANSC, ABEN, CFS, ENT, MICR, NRM, PPTH, PLSC, RNG, SOIL & VETS.) EXCEPTION - All 9 credits may be in the same area if a student completes a minor from within the College of AFSNR. | ||
| Areas of Specialization: Select one of the Areas of Specialization listed below. | 6 | |
| Additional Requirements for Agribusiness | ||
| First Year Experience: | ||
| AGRI 150 | Agriculture Orientation | 1 |
| Communication Requirement: Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Intercultural Communication (Gen Ed B/D) | ||
| Business and Professional Speaking | ||
| Small Group Communication | ||
| Organizational Communication I | ||
| Math Requirement: (Select from below or any course higher than MATH 146) | ||
| MATH 144 | Mathematics for Business | 4 |
| or MATH 146 | Applied Calculus I | |
| STAT 331 | Regression Analysis | 2-3 |
| or ECON 410 | Econometrics | |
| Minor Requirement | 19-24 | |
In addition to the requirements for the major in Agribusiness, students must complete a minor in Accounting (19 cr) or Business Administration (24 cr). | ||
| Degree Requirements: Potential of a minimum of 8 credits to reach 128 | 8 | |
| Total Credits | 128-136 | |
Areas of Specialization: Select one
| Finance - 6 Credits | ||
| AGEC 446 | Agribusiness Finance | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Principles of Real Estate | ||
| Cooperatives | ||
| Money and Banking | ||
| Public Economics | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
| Management - 6 Credits | ||
| MGMT 320 | Foundations of Management | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Cooperatives | ||
| Applied Agricultural Law | ||
| Introduction to Transportation & Logistics | ||
| Advanced Logistical Analysis | ||
| International Trade | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
| Marketing - 6 Credits | ||
| AGEC 444 | Commodity Trading | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Agrisales | ||
| Cooperatives | ||
| National AgriMarketing Association (NAMA) I and National AgriMarketing Association (NAMA) II | ||
| International Trade | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Degree Requirements and Notes
- Students must earn, at least, a 2.00 cumulative GPA that is based on the courses that satisfy major requirements.
Minor Requirements
Agribusiness Minor
Minor Requirements
Required Credits: 17 or 21
Agribusiness Track
This track is open to all majors.
| Required Courses | ||
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| AGEC 242 | Introduction to Agricultural Management | 4 |
| AGEC 244 | Agricultural Marketing | 3 |
| AGEC 246 | Introduction to Agricultural Finance | 4 |
| Elective Courses: At least 3 additional credits from any 300-400 level course in Agribusiness & Applied Economics. | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 17 | |
Corporate Agribusiness Track
This track is restricted to students whose major is within the College of Agriculture, Food Systems & Natural Resources.
| Required Courses | ||
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| ACCT 102 | Fundamentals of Accounting | 3 |
| FIN 320 | Principles of Finance | 3 |
| MGMT 320 | Foundations of Management | 3 |
| MRKT 320 | Foundations of Marketing | 3 |
| Elective Courses | ||
| At least 3 additional credits from any 300-400 level course in Agribusiness & Applied Economics. | 3 | |
| At least 3 additional credits from any 300-400 level course in the departments of Management, Marketing, or Finance. | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 21 | |
Minor Requirements and Notes for both tracks
- A minimum of 8 credits must be taken at NDSU.
- Students must earn a minimum 2.00 GPA for the minor requirements.
